Rule 60302: Advisory Councils of an Institution

1. Title

Advisory Councils of an Institution

2. Rule and Regulation

Sec. 1 Authorization. With the approval of the president of an institution, the Vice Chancellor for External Relations, the appropriate Executive Vice Chancellor, the Chancellor, and the Board of Regents, any school, college, or other comparable teaching or research unit may have an advisory council dedicated to its own unique interests. An advisory council for any subdivision or small unit such as a department or unit within a college or school requires specific approval of the president.

Sec. 2 Purpose. An advisory council shall promote and support, including assistance in increasing private support, a particular school, college, or other comparable teaching or research unit with which the advisory council is affiliated in a manner determined by the dean or the director of the school, college, or research unit subject to the approval of the institution’s president.

Sec. 3 Composition. An advisory council shall consist of members recommended by the dean or director of the school, college, or other approved unit and appointed by the president of the institution. Presidents shall, in consultation with the dean or director of the school, college, or other approved unit, adopt guidelines for the appointment of the members of the institution's advisory council(s). The guidelines shall make clear each individual's term of office and the expectations and responsibilities of membership. Consideration shall be directed to appropriate balance in advisory council membership, including gender, ethnicity, years of involvement or experience with the college, school, or unit, geographical distribution, and the special needs of the school, college, or unit and the advisory council. All terms shall officially begin on September 1. A dean or director shall be an ex officio member with voting privileges on the advisory council that serves the school, college or unit’s advisory council he or she administers. The president of the institution shall be an ex officio member with voting privileges of all the institution's advisory councils.

Sec. 4 Governance and Bylaws. Consistent with the Regents’ Rules and Regulations, the president of each institution shall be responsible for and have authority over the institution’s advisory council. An advisory council will elect a chair and such other officers as are appropriate from among its membership.

4.1 Model Bylaws. Subject to the approval of the president of the institution, each advisory council shall adopt bylaws for its internal governance that are consistent with this Rule and that substantially comply with model bylaws developed by the Office of General Counsel.

Sec. 5 Reporting and Budget. Institutions shall annually forward an accurate roster of all advisory council memberships to the Vice Chancellor for External Relations on a designated date. Each institution shall maintain specifically identifiable accounts that document any advisory council related revenues and expenses out of the dean’s office or other offices that support advisory council activities. These accounts must be identifiable in an institution’s annual operating budget. An advisory council’s budget shall be determined and approved through established budget procedures.

Sec. 6 Role of Internal Foundations. As used in this Rule, the term “internal foundation” means an internal development entity created by resolution of the Board of Regents of The University of Texas System for certain development purposes. An internal foundation is part of an organizational structure of either a development board or an advisory council and functions as an administrative and accounting mechanism that is employed to approach prospective donors. Internal foundations are not encouraged and shall not be established or maintained except with the approval of the president of the institution, the Vice Chancellor for External Relations, the appropriate Executive Vice Chancellor, the Chancellor, and the Board of Regents.